Abstract: An apparatus and method for packaging citrus fruit or discrete articles in a tightly packed pattern or arrangement closely resembling that of a hand packed box. A two-part telescoped box is conveyed in inverted position to a box filling and counting station, the box including an box inner part in which the side and end flaps are in open relation at the box filling station. At the counting station, fruit is being oscillated transversely of their path of travel so as to singulate the fruit into a plurality of counting stations arranged in a row and in a valley. When the row count has been satisfied, all of the fruit in the row are lifted upwardly for discharge into the open box. When the full count is satisfied, the filled box with fruit extending above the top of the outer box is moved to a box handling station in which the inner box is lifted to a height where the side and end flaps of the inner box may be folded over the top fruit.

Abstract: A self-balancing capacitance bridge-type proximity detector is provided having a probe in one leg of a bridge network and a variable capacitor in the form of a varactor effect tuning diode in the other leg of the bridge network. A high frequency oscillator is coupled to the bridge network and the output of the network from the two legs is equal when the bridge is in a balanced condition. The outputs of the bridge are applied to a differential amplifier for producing an output therefrom on an imbalance of the bridge network which is caused by a metallic object which is to be detected contacting or coming in close proximity with the probe. The output of the differential amplifier is fed back to the varactor tuning diode, changing the capacity thereof to rebalance the bridge network. The output of the differential amplifier is also fed to a shaper circuit and from there to a counter for counting the imbalances of the bridge caused by objects being detected coming into contact or close proximity with the probe.